New to skydiving and hooked

[ScottTX 0]

Hi everyone, I am new to the sport, having made 6 jumps, 3tandems/3solos, I am definetly addicted to this!.

I wish that I could tell everyone that my 3 solos were perfect, but they were far from it. My 1st, I ended up with a minor ankle sprain, my 3rd I ended up with a severely bruised tailbone because I flared to late and forgot about a thing called the PLF (DUH!) , one of these days I am going to get past level 1!

Now waiting for the tailbone to heal enough to allow me to start jumping again, I am determined to succeed at this!.

I would be interested in hearing from anyone about their mishaps or mistakes as new students.

Thanks

[angrypeppers 1]

Welcome to the forums, Scott! I just posted my Level 2 misadventures from today in Gen discussion. Hope you get back to the sky quickly...

Chris

Burn the land and boil the sea,
You can't take the sky from me.

[ScottTX 0]

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Welcome to the forums, Scott! I just posted my Level 2 misadventures from today in Gen discussion. Hope you get back to the sky quickly...

Chris

Thanks Chris
For my 1st solo, I exited as I was supposed to, did my 2 PHT's, and did ok on the freefall portion, THEN after deploying, I entered the pattern in the wrong direction and then to make matters worse made a steep turn at about 200ft, DEFINTELY a dumb thing to do., landing way off target, and getting a sprained ankle as a reward for my dumbass mistakes.

My 2nd solo, everything went fine EXCEPT I failed to do my PHT's, and I deployed at 5000 instead of 6000.

My 3rd solo, I exited wrong again, did ok on the freefall, after deploying I found that the radio was not working, flew a great pattern according to my instructor, started the flare but never got the toggles past shoulder level, landing on my tailbone. The landing was so hard that I was stunned and did not move for several seconds, then I waved to signal I was ok, by then one of the skydive center employees came racing out on a 4 wheel atv to make sure I was allright.

A couple of instuctors who witnessed this pointed out to me that I was lucky to walk away from it, considering how hard I hit and right on the tailbone.

If the tailbone were not so sore I would ask someone at the dz to give me a good kick in the ass.

I am still at level 1, but as I said in my 1st post, this will NOT stop me, I will succeed!

[skymama 35]

Welcome to the forums!

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[adventurechick 0]

rock on!! Welcome to the sport!!

PMS #449 TPM #80 Muff Brother #3860
SCR #14705 Dirty Sanchez #233

[kris2extreme 0]

don't feel too bad about not PLFing. It gets drilled into your head all the time, but you always *think* you can stand it up and be fine.

My level 1 I flared too high, and level 8 I landed a canopy with a partially deflated end cell and end up doing a nice little faceplant
It was not until jump 13 that I finally PLF'd. I landed off on the golf course, and in a 10mph downwind. I ended up doing 2 PLF's on the same landing

[ScottTX 0]

Thanks again to everyone for all the kind words and encouragment
I am taking a week off, visiting family, then back and to the dz, hoping to make my "comeback jump" on Sat the 28th.

I will insist before jumping that we review the correct way of doing a plf, not just sitting there listening to someone tell me about it, but actually doing a couple of them myself before going up. The dz that I jump at has a huge grassy area, a perfect place for practicing.

[AggieDave 6]

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I will insist before jumping that we review the correct way of doing a plf, not just sitting there listening to someone tell me about it, but actually doing a couple of them myself before going up. The dz that I jump at has a huge grassy area, a perfect place for practicing.

Practice in your living room or in your yard using a chair. Its not hard, feet and knees together. Get your arms up and act like you're flaring a canopy. Hop off the chair forward, so you get some forward speed. Hit feet first, crumple and roll to a side while moving foward and on to your back. Practice, practice, practice and did I mention you should practice? You'll know when you got it right. If you want, start off just hopping up and falling down in your PLF before you get a chair involved. When its a fluid motion, smooth and safe, you'll know.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[ScottTX 0]

Thanks for the idea, I will ask a friend who has a house, I live in a 2nd floor apartment and I am not sure my neighbor would understand my practicing plf's .

Thinking back on my prior jumps, plf's were not really covered in any great depth, during the solo transition class the instructor demonstrated a plf, and we watched a video showing a jumper doing a plf, but it was never suggested or required that we practice any plf's.

I would like to suggest that the dz makes practicing plf's prior to a student solo,a required part of the jump school course. Being a "newbie" I dont know how seriously they would take the suggestion.

[AggieDave 6]

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I would like to suggest that the dz makes practicing plf's prior to a student solo,a required part of the jump school course. Being a "newbie" I dont know how seriously they would take the suggestion.

You'd be surprised. I've learned a great deal from my students and my DZ's student program has evolved with student and former student input. That's not to say that every student's suggestion has shook the earth. Some of them have been unrealistic, some weren't based in reality others were just not practical.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[JD1 0]

The thing with PLFs is to practice them over, over and over. When I was in AF pilot training we spent a whole day doing them (probably >300) until it was automatic. Problem for me know is I learned them with my hands on the riser buckles (round parachutes). I can do PLFs still but can't get my hands in the down flare position. I'll have to relearn to keep my hands down.